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Post by the Scribe on Nov 12, 2017 21:21:00 GMT -5
Optogenetics Research May Lead To New Parkinson's and Schizophrenia Treatments | Video
Dr. Max Gomez: Linda Ronstadt's Battle With Parkinson's
An inside look at Young Onset Parkinson's Disease (YOPD)
worth watching again:
How I Reversed My Parkinson's Disease Symptoms
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Post by the Scribe on Nov 12, 2017 21:45:56 GMT -5
a couple more solutions. I have to wonder that if there are several possible causes for Parkinson's there may be different solutions for that particular cause or maybe something that will work for all the causes.
I have to think Linda could beat this thing or at least keep it at bay. I am finding several people that have done so already and we can learn from them. I especially like Dr. John Gray (last post) as I have been listening to him for years on the radio. I also like Dr. Joel Wallach's approach. DOC says "we are what we absorb" meaning we could eat all the best things in life to help our disease but if our gut is unable to absorb the minerals, vitamins, enzymes, etc. then you are flushing all the good stuff out.
Solutions for Parkinson's Disease
Colin Potter - How He Reversed His Parkinson's Symptom's (FULL Interview by Sarah King, PT, DPT)
interesting Parkinson's channel on youtube:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxhsXUtWCNMnvv4OTcH7DJBDx-7b557VG
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Post by the Scribe on Nov 12, 2017 21:56:13 GMT -5
this is SO cool!!! especially when everyone starts singing near the end of It's So Easy.
Power for Parkinson's Dance Troupe performs to "It's so Easy"
Published on Feb 23, 2017
Power for Parkinson's Dance Troupe performs a Tribute to Linda Ronstadt to "It's so Easy" at our 4th Annual Birthday Bash on February19, 2017. Choreography by PFP dance instructor, Nancy Bain
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Post by philly on Nov 17, 2017 18:55:12 GMT -5
Jesse Jackson diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (CNN)Civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson said Friday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. A neurological disorder with no cure, Parkinson's can cause tremors, stiffness and difficulty balancing, walking and coordinating movement.
"My family and I began to notice changes about three years ago," Jackson wrote in a statement. "After a battery of tests, my physicians identified the issue as Parkinson's disease, a disease that bested my father." Jackson added that "recognition of the effects of this disease on me has been painful."
He also said he sees his diagnosis as "a signal that I must make lifestyle changes and dedicate myself to physical therapy in hopes of slowing the disease's progression."
Born in Greenville, South Carolina, the 76-year-old is a two-time Democratic presidential candidate. Highlights of his career include participating in civil rights demonstrations with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., negotiating successfully for the release of three US soldiers who had been held in Yugoslavia and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton.
More recently, Jackson spoke out in 2014 about the shooting death of 18-year-old Ferguson, Missouri, resident Michael Brown, which sparked protests and a national debate about race and police.
'Movement disorder'
Parkinson's disease is caused by the death of brain cells that contain dopamine, a neurotransmitter necessary for communication within the brain. Losing dopamine neurons is a normal part of aging, yet patients with Parkinson's lose many more than usual, and the brain's inability to compensate leads to symptoms.
Parkinson's often starts with a small tremor in the hand or muscle stiffness and progresses over time. Usually, symptoms are worse on one side of the body. The obvious physical symptoms are the reason it is sometimes referred to as a "movement disorder," yet other signs are also common: Patients can experience depression, sleep problems, anxiety, fatigue and constipation.
The prevalence of Parkinson's in the general population increases from about 1% at age 60 to 4% by age 80, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 1 million people have Parkinson's disease in the US, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation. Men are more likely to get it than women, and it usually affects people over age 50.
About 15% to 25% of Parkinson's patients have a family member with the disease, the Parkinson's Disease Foundation says. A variety of genes -- more than 20 -- either cause or contribute to the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
Blood test might make Parkinson's diagnosis easier, study says
Parkinson's is occasionally misdiagnosed because there is no test for it. Doctors often rely on a DaTscan, a nuclear imaging test that looks at brain chemistry and the integrity of dopamine cells, in particular. Normal dopamine cells mean you don't have Parkinson's, but if the DaTscan results are abnormal, you may have any one of a series of diseases that results in the death of dopamine cells, Parkinson's being the most common.
Doctors solely treat the lack of dopamine in the brain -- though Parkinson's affects different areas of brain function, including autonomic functions (such as blood pressure and breathing), cognition and urination.
Treatment and prognosis
The most common Parkinson's drug is levodopa, which is converted into dopamine in the brain. Still, Parkinson's patients experience motor fluctuations in response to the drug -- involuntary movements, known as dyskinesia, such as those displayed by actor and Parkinson's patient Michael J. Fox.
When symptoms progress and medication fails, some patients opt for surgical interventions, such as deep brain stimulation, which involves the implantation of electrodes in the brain.
Doctors continue to search for new treatments. For example, by discovering precisely how a toxic cascade kills brain cells with dopamine, Northwestern University researchers recently demonstrated how early treatment could disrupt that process.
Experimental technology can 'smell' disease on your breath
Until a cure or effective treatments are found, exercise is the best thing Parkinson's patients can do for themselves. A number of studies have shown that aerobics and strength training can improve depression, slow the progress of motor symptoms and help patients think.
Most patients with Parkinson's die with it, not because of it. However, long-term Parkinson's patients may develop dementia or lose their ability to walk and so develop complications such as pneumonia or other infections that can lead to death.
"I am far from alone," Jackson said in his statement.
"I want to thank my family and friends who continue to care for me and support me," he concluded. "I will need your prayers and graceful understanding as I undertake this new challenge."
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Post by sliderocker on Dec 10, 2017 20:30:30 GMT -5
a couple more solutions. I have to wonder that if there are several possible causes for Parkinson's there may be different solutions for that particular cause or maybe something that will work for all the causes.
I have to think Linda could beat this thing or at least keep it at bay. I am finding several people that have done so already and we can learn from them. I especially like Dr. John Gray (last post) as I have been listening to him for years on the radio. I also like Dr. Joel Wallach's approach. DOC says "we are what we absorb" meaning we could eat all the best things in life to help our disease but if our gut is unable to absorb the minerals, vitamins, enzymes, etc. then you are flushing all the good stuff out.
Solutions for Parkinson's Disease
Colin Potter - How He Reversed His Parkinson's Symptom's (FULL Interview by Sarah King, PT, DPT)
interesting Parkinson's channel on youtube:
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxhsXUtWCNMnvv4OTcH7DJBDx-7b557VG
I am now wondering about another angle to Parkinson's disease I've been hearing about in a TV commercial: that 50% of patients will see and hear things that only they can see and hear. No one else. What I am wondering about is whether these hallucinations might be the same as the near death experiences that many have said they have experienced? One thing I know about people dying from my own relatives is they report seeing and hearing other deceased family members in their rooms or homes when they are near death. Suppose the Parkinson's hallucinations are not hallucinations at all but some part of the brain that avails itself to the spiritual realm or parallel worlds? It is surprising this aspect of Parkinson's hasn't been considered by those who explore the near death phenomenon. As for a cure for Parkinson's, I believe the cure does exists but as long as the money is in managing a disease and not finding a cure, the cure will escape us. I'm also wondering if Parkinson's could be like cancer, which is a multi-level disease? Meaning, if a cure if potentially found, it may only work for a certain type of Parkinson's, if Parkinson's in fact has multi-layers to it. Again, that commercial I keep seeing says only 50% of the people with Parkinson's will experience hallucinations. That leads to the why is that question. And the answer to that question that keeps replying in my head is that Parkinson's isn't a single disease, but a host of different related or like diseases. Meaning each Parkinson's disease would have to be treated differently. That what would work for one would not work for all. I started thinking about the above after a conversation with my girlfriend, who is a former nurse. She specialized in the oncology medical field and I was talking with her as to why chemotherapy is more failure than success. She said that once cancer gets started, it is a disease in which the cells divide and start multiplying at a faster rate. The problem is the round of chemo drugs given to cancer patients at any one time is only designed to attack the disease in certain parts of the body. Each round of chemo drugs must be tailor-made to fight the disease for the part of the body it's affecting. In other words, chemo drugs for the lungs would have no effect on cancer that is in the kidney or liver, or in the prostrate or colon. They are fighting battles with what they have to fight with, but the disease is vicious and it's also different diseases. If Parkinson's is like that, medical science will likely approach it like they approach cancer: rather than finding one medicine that will work on all forms, they'll come up with one that will work on individual aspects of the illness. But, not a cure and never a cure. Money is the biggest stumbling block to all cures. Not money for research but money for one's personal bank account.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2017 20:57:20 GMT -5
Linda speaks about the effect of Parkinson's on her life with her usual wit, candor and courage...
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Post by the Scribe on Dec 14, 2017 16:36:05 GMT -5
Thanks for posting that Robert. For some reason I thought I had included it in this thread as well but didn't. Study: The medical community isn’t prepared for the looming pandemic of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’sWednesday, December 13, 2017 by: Tracey Watson Tags: Big Pharma, cognitive function, disease prevention, environmental toxins, neurodegenerative diseases, pandemic, Parkinson's Disease, pesticides, prevention
(Natural News) Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease plaguing people today, with an estimated 1 million Americans are battling this illness – more than Lou Gehrig’s disease, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis combined. Parkinson’s causes certain nerve cells in the brain to die, affecting movement and causing worsening tremors and stiffness. The direct and indirect costs associated with the disease are believed to exceed $25 billion a year.
Now, a disturbing new study by researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center has warned that the number of patients battling the disease will “soon grow to pandemic proportions.”
The number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s more than doubled between 1990 and 2015. While around 6.9 million people around the world are thought to currently have the disease, experts warn that an aging population is likely to cause this number to increase to over 14 million by 2040. It is also believed that Parkinson’s will soon overtake Alzheimer’s as the leading neurodegenerative disease.
“Pandemics are usually equated with infectious diseases like Zika, influenza, and HIV,” said Ray Dorsey, M.D., a neurologist with the Rochester Medical Center. “But neurological disorders are now the leading cause of disability in the world and the fastest growing is Parkinson’s disease.”
Parkinson’s is not generally thought of as a lifestyle disease, with the general explanation being that it is caused by unusually low dopamine levels, but that the reasons the disease develops are not clearly understood. It is obvious from the sharp increase in the number of cases in recent decades, however, that the modern lifestyle or environment must be contributing in some way. (Related: Depression linked with higher incidence of Parkinson’s disease – Research.)
This was confirmed by a study published in the journal Acta Neurologica Scandinavia in 2003, which screened 5,632 random people for Parkinson’s disease and investigated the links between the 113 people found to have the disease and certain lifestyle issues like smoking and exposure to pesticides. The study found that “age, male gender, and pesticide-use license were significantly related to PD [Parkinson’s disease].”
So, there is clear evidence that there are underlying causes fueling this Parkinson’s epidemic. However, instead of trying to find these causes, the researchers that conducted the University of Rochester Medical Center study are encouraging a totally different approach – one that would make Big Pharma very happy. (Related: Keep track of the latest developments at Medicine.news.)
The authors argue that PD patients should lobby pharmaceutical companies to come up with more and better treatments, just as patients with HIV did in previous decades.
“People with HIV infection simply demanded better treatments and successfully rallied for both awareness and new treatments, literally chaining themselves to the doors of pharmaceutical companies,” said Bastiaan Bloem, M.D., Ph.D., from the Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands.
“Today, HIV has become a treatable, chronic disease,” he added. “This upcoming increase in the number of Parkinson patients is striking and frankly worrisome. We feel it is urgent that people with Parkinson’s go to the pharmaceutical industry and policymakers alike, demanding immediate action to fight this enormous threat.”
At Natural News we believe that prevention is always better than cure, and that fighting for Big Pharma to dole out more chemical treatments is not the solution.
While some risk factors for PD are out of our control – for example, males are 50 percent more likely to develop PD than females – there are a number of natural remedies that have been proven to reduce the risk of developing this debilitating illness.
Medical News Today reports on two of these:
Curcumin – an ingredient found in the spice turmeric, is apparently effective in preventing the clumping of a protein involved in Parkinson’s disease, according to scientists from Michigan State University.
Flavonoids – adult males who regularly eat foods rich in flavonoids appear to have a considerably lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, compared to others who do not, researchers in the U.S.A. and U.K. reported in the journal Neurology. Examples of foods include berries, apples, some vegetables, tea and red wine. In this study, the protective effects come from anthocyanins, a subclass of flavonoids.
So, there are at least three lifestyle changes we can make to help prevent the oncoming pandemic of Parkinson’s disease: Limit exposure to pesticides; add turmeric to your daily diet; and increase your intake of flavonoid-rich foods like apples and red wine.
Sources include:
ScienceDaily.com
NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov
MedicalNewsToday.com
ParkinsonsNewsToday.com
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Post by philly on Dec 14, 2017 21:25:35 GMT -5
I saw this comment on a recent instagram posting from Maria Menounos about her brain surgery earlier this year. I don't think Linda is in any rush to have a DBS implanted, but it's an alternative that may help her one day (considering she called herself not a good patient for not taking her meds)
December 13 2017 - 23:58 sdud01 Maria, I hope all is well and getting better each day! This is a great follow-up to your surgery for those others in need. Personally, I have Parkinson’s Disease and had surgery about 7 years ago to implant a Deep Brain Stimulator. It requires the surgeon to place leads into my brain, then attaching them to a pacemaker-like device in my chest. It’s been a wonderful success, as my tremors have been reduced to almost nothing. The makers of the device have made me an ambassador to talk to patients considering the DBS operation. I, like you, had skilled neurosurgeons who have made our future at least more comfortable and hopefully longer. I have my chance to pay it forward and to help others. There’s really nothing more thrilling to offer a little knowledge to help others. My prayers go out to you and your family for continuing good health.
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Post by the Scribe on Dec 15, 2017 1:36:48 GMT -5
So a few things happened today that caused me to google the following article. I had already been thinking about Linda's Parkinson's when on the Ground Zero radio show they were talking about MK Ultra and the diplomats that came down ill recently in our embassy there. Medical reports indicate that they have had destruction to the white matter of the brain. Humans have gray matter and white matter. The white matter is basically the "wiring" and the gray matter is well, read the info below. Anyway, the white matter is what gets messed up in Parkinson's so I thought I would google to see if our intelligence agencies have ever gone so far as to cause these problems in people. And if they can do it so can other countries. They also mentioned about stuff sprayed over the Phoenix area (where I live) to create other illnesses. Sure enough an article popped up about Parkinson's and the NSA. Was a US spy's Parkinson's disease caused by a secret microwave weapon attack? www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/99573139/was-a-us-spys-parkinsons-disease-caused-by-a-secret-microwave-weapon-attackIAN SHAPIRA Last updated 08:38, December 6 2017 US spy Mike Beck felt his body start to deaden. Then he found out his partner's body had too. One of the first signs came at the keyboard. Mike Beck, a US National Security Agency counterintelligence officer, could always bang out 60 words a minute. But in early 2006, Beck struggled to move his fingers at their usual typing speed. He had to hunt and peck. Soon after, a brain scan showed why: Beck had Parkinson's disease, the second-most-common neurodegenerative disorder in the United States, behind Alzheimer's. He was only 46 - unusually young for Parkinson's. No one in his family had ever had it. Then, in an unsettling coincidence, he learned that an NSA colleague - a man he'd spent a pivotal week in 1996 with in a hostil e country - had also just been diagnosed with Parkinson's. Eventually, Beck read a classified intelligence report that convinced him that he and his co-worker were likely the victims of a covert attack on the trip that led to their illnesses - and have led to a highly unusual workers' compensation claim. Beck believes that while he and his colleague were sleeping in their hotel rooms, the hostile country, which he cannot name for security reasons, deployed a high-powered microwave weapon against them, damaging their nervous systems. "I was sick in the stomach and shocked when I read that report," said Beck, who now struggles to drive, fold the laundry, clean the dishes, or get deep sleep. "I am familiar with other things this hostile country does, and it just felt raw and unfair." For the last four years, Beck, 57, has been trying to persuade the Labour Department to award him 75 per cent of his salary, or about US$110,000 a year. But the Labour Department won't approve Beck's request without solid evidence that he was targeted. In Beck's case - short of obtaining proof from the hostile nation's spy service - he'd need the endorsement of the NSA, which has refused to provide it. NO PROOFGlenn Gerstell, the NSA's general counsel, said the agency has not found any proof that Beck or his co-worker were attacked. Absent evidence, the NSA can't tell the Labour Department whether it agrees or disagrees with Beck's claim, he said. "We have tremendous sympathy for him, and we'd like to try and help him. But we can't manufacture evidence," Gerstell said. "If the Department of Labour asked us, 'Do you think this is a possibility?' then that would be different. But they didn't ask that." A Labour Department spokesperson said the agency does not comment on active cases. "This is not your average workers' compensation claim case, like someone falling while they were working on the roof of a government building," said Mark Zaid, Beck's attorney, who has represented spy agency employees for decades. "How often is it that a foreign government attacks a federal employee with devastating microwaves?" THE CUBA SYMPTOMSWorking overseas can be dangerous for US intelligence and diplomatic personnel. The State Department said in September that it was pulling most of its staffers back from Cuba, after revelations about a series of mysterious attacks that injured 24 Americans stationed in the country. The Americans complained about numerous symptoms, including hearing loss, dizziness, headaches, even cognitive issues. Cuba has denied responsibility. The ordeal has led to speculation that the Americans were victims of a sonic or acoustic attack. THE TRIPBeck, a former Secret Service officer who joined the NSA in 1987, was accustomed to working in hostile terrain. He made sure that US facilities around the world could protect intelligence in physical spaces known as "sensitive compartmented information facilities," or SCIFs. In 1996, Beck and his colleague, Charles Gubete, were sent to a foreign nation to assess an American facility's safeguards for classified information. He can't say exactly where, not even which hemisphere. The NSA's presence in the country is secret, the agency told the Labour Department. When they arrived, Beck said, a soldier detained them in a small conference room at the airport but didn't explain why, and then released them after about two hours. Beck said he and Gubete didn't identify themselves as NSA employees. Afterward, Beck said their translator intimated that the host country had been observing them. The two men stayed for about a week in side-by-side hotel rooms. Beck can't divulge much about what they did, he said, "But we found something very important to the focus of our mission, something threatening near the building." THE BRAIN SCAN SHOCKA decade later, the right side of Beck's body began to deaden. His right arm didn't swing normally while he walked. His right hand stiffened, so he typed with his left. Then his right leg started to drag. He felt like he was always about to slip on his office's polished stone floors. At the time, Beck, his wife, Rita, and two children were living outside London, while he worked at the NSA's British counterpart, the Government Communications Headquarters. The brain scan revealing young-onset Parkinson's was a shock. Only 10 to 20 per cent of those diagnosed with the illness are younger than 50. Beck was put on standard Parkinson's medication, called dopamine agonists, that helped restore his body movement. As his three-year tour in Britain wrapped up, he was offered a fourth year, and accepted. CONVINCED THE AILMENTS ARE LINKEDBeck was well-regarded. He'd received a personal note of thanks from then-FBI director Robert S. Mueller III for helping catch Brian Regan, a retired Air Force master sergeant who tried to hawk classified material to China, Libya and Iraq for US$13 million. But even as the medication reduced many of his symptoms, Beck learned that Gubete, his travel partner, had also been diagnosed with Parkinson's. He thought back to their trip in 1996 and wondered whether their ailments shared a link. Then, in 2012, Beck and others were emailed the intelligence that convinced him there was a link. Over lunch, he shared his suspicions with Gubete, who by then was retired and no longer held a security clearance. So Beck couldn't tell him much about the intelligence. Gubete, who lived in Laurel, Maryland, died a year later, though the cause remains unknown. He was 61. Parkinson's ran in Gubete's family. His mother and great-grandmother had it, according to Gubete's sister, Carol Owens, who lives in Pennsylvania. Beck's doctor, Paul Fishman, a professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in an interview that since Gubete's relatives had Parkinson's, it is far less likely the alleged microwave attack led to his diagnosis. And he wasn't sure it had a connection to Beck's. Still, Fishman maintained it was possible that the microwave weapon could have helped cause both men's neurological damage. "There are genes that raise your risk for Parkinson's, but it's not 100 per cent that people who carry those genes get Parkinson's," Fishman said. "It's well-established that two causal factors can add together." WHAT CAUSES PARKINSON'S?The exact cause of Parkinson's is unknown, but genetics and exposure to environmental elements - pesticides and other toxic chemicals - can increase someone's risk. Military veterans with Parkinson's who were exposed to Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant the US deployed during the Vietnam War, may be eligible for disability benefits. But David Standaert, chairman of the American Parkinson Disease Association's scientific advisory board, said he doesn't know of any published literature linking high-energy microwave rays and Parkinson's. PUSHING FOR COMPENSATIONBeck began exploring a workers' compensation claim in 2012. At that point, six years into his diagnosis, Beck was getting tired much more easily and his dexterity was diminishing. He filed the claim in 2013. As the Labour Department gathered evidence, the NSA never commented on whether it agreed with Beck's allegation that his Parkinson's was connected to his 1996 trip overseas, according to the case's records. Beck gave the Labour Department an unclassified version of the intelligence he'd read: an NSA statement saying that the hostile country's weapon "may have the ability to weaken, intimidate, or kill an enemy over time and without leaving evidence" and that it is designed to cause "numerous physical effects, including a damaged nervous system". Beck also submitted a paper by an NSA counterintelligence agent declaring that the attack against Beck was "highly probable." But the NSA refused to allow Beck's attorney, Mark Zaid, to review the classified information, although Zaid holds the highest level security clearance for his cases. "Not only did the NSA refuse to help Mike, they also obstructed my ability to help him," Zaid said. Gerstell, the NSA general counsel, said that not even the classified information proves Beck's allegation that his Parkinson's is work-related. In September 2014, the Labour Department rejected his claim, citing the absence of the NSA's endorsement. Beck felt deflated. He was inching toward three decades of service at the NSA. "I felt frustrated and confused as to why the agency didn't respond," said Beck, who is appealing the case. "There were no limitations on what the NSA could have said. They could have said it was possible." A 'NO BRAINER' THAT THE ATTACK HAPPENEDLast year, Beck tried to win the NSA's endorsement by arranging a meeting with several high-ranking officials and a senior counterintelligence official from "a sister agency" who is an expert on the hostile nation's spy service. "At the briefing, the sister agency officer gave a technical summary of the things the host country does to people that could harm them seriously," said Beck, who can't fully describe the meeting because it was classified. "Afterwards, he sent me an email saying it was a 'no brainer' that this attack happened to me." The NSA declined to discuss the briefing. But the agency's director of security and counterintelligence, Kemp Ensor, emailed the NSA's then-chief of staff in August 2016 saying that he agreed that Beck's injuries were work-related - and that the NSA should convey his opinion to the Labor Department, Beck said. Zaid, Beck's attorney, said he asked the NSA to hand over Ensor's email to the Labour Department. But Zaid said the NSA rejected that request because it viewed the email as a personal opinion - not the official agency stance. The NSA declined to make Ensor available for an interview, nor would it show The Washington Post his email, saying that "it contains classified information and equities of other intelligence community partners which would be inappropriate for us to discuss." THE RETIREMENT CHATBeck retired last December after nearly 30 years at the NSA. He was entitled to a ceremony at NSA headquarters with a military colour guard. Instead, he opted for cake in his Maryland office and, during his speech, joked that he felt like he had a career lifted from the pages of a Tom Clancy novel. Except for a few friends and his bosses, hardly anyone knew of his unresolved battle with the agency. After work, he and several dozen colleagues headed to the Rams Head, a favourite NSA haunt, where one longtime official approached him. "It was a senior executive at the NSA. We couldn't talk much because we weren't in a secure facility," Beck said, "He said to me, in his opinion, that my injury was work-related." - The Washington Post So if microwaves can cause Parkinson's or brain damage what about a faulty microwave oven in our homes OR a rogue cell phone tower near someone's home? A friend of mine told me he visited Glen Campbell at his home in California and he lived on top of a hill (over Hollywood near that sign? I can't remember exactly) but his house was DIRECTLY UNDER those high tension wires. We talked about this before Glen was ill and it was during a conversation I was having with him about dirty electricity. I remember saying I hope Glen didn't come down with anything. It wouldn't surprise me if there aren't microwave towers up there also. I am not sure even living in a faraday cage enclosure will protect you from that much magnetic intensity. So now Glen is dead from Alzheimer's.
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 6, 2018 23:27:57 GMT -5
Regarding Linda's Parkinson's, there was one TV station where I live which had a story on their news, not necessarily about Parkinson's, but about people dealing with arthritis by swimming and singing. Where Parkinson's came into the story was one of the health care officials who oversee the project talked about the importance of singing and why it helps people with arthritis and that it was even better for people with Parkinson's. It seems the muscles involved in singing can help a person with Parkinson's when it comes to eating and swallowing food. Singing keeps the muscle from atrophying and deteriorating to a point where a Parkinson's patient can't eat or swallow. I hadn't realized that kind of danger existed and wonder if Linda has trouble eating and swallowing her food and drinks? Makes me wish she hadn't given up on her singing talent and makes me wonder if her doctors have some kind of alternative treatment? By the way, what was the cause of death of her older sister Gretchen in 2015? I know her younger brother passed from cancer but don't remember what her older sister died from.
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Post by eddiejinnj on Jan 7, 2018 8:58:28 GMT -5
I tried looking around the net and haven't been able to find out the cause of Gretchen's (Suzy's) death. eddiejinfl
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Post by sliderocker on Jan 7, 2018 15:02:21 GMT -5
I tried looking around the net and haven't been able to find out the cause of Gretchen's (Suzy's) death. eddiejinfl I've been looking as well and I couldn't find anything either. And given Linda's multiple illnesses, and the deaths of her older sister and younger brother, I wondered if they too dealt with multiple illnesses prior to their deaths? I know Michael's cause of death was cancer but I could find nothing as to Gretchen's cause of death. Given Linda has Parkinson's, I've sort of wondered if Gretchen had Parkinson's as well, since certain illnesses seem to run in families?
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 8, 2018 0:27:12 GMT -5
I tried looking around the net and haven't been able to find out the cause of Gretchen's (Suzy's) death. eddiejinfl
Not sure if the death certificate is a public record but I think any cause is supposed to be included there...or not.
I just hate thinking about all of this. I have always felt that Linda and her family were my family even if by proxy. It is terribly sad for all of us but I know we can't physically live forever even if our soul is immortal (which I believe). Not in a religious sense though but as a matter of universal order. If A then B if not C.
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Post by ausfan2 on Jan 22, 2018 22:42:16 GMT -5
Breaking News: Another music star diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease:
Neil Diamond Retires From Touring After Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis
"I plan to remain active in writing, recording and other projects for a long time to come," singer promised after doctors recommend tour cancellation
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 30, 2018 1:46:13 GMT -5
More proof to back up what I have been saying about cholesterol and fats needed for the body and brain. EAT EGGS, DRINK WHOLE MILK, FAT FROM MEAT OK, STOP TAKING STATIN DRUGS, NO PROCESSED MEATS (bacon, deli meats, tv dinners, etc.) and NO BARLEY, OATS OR WHEAT. Stay away from most cooking oils including olive oil as they become rancid quickly. Use BUTTER for cooking. NO MARGARINE OR CRISCO. Because of the criticisms on the way the study was done look for more to follow to try to prove their conclusion. Parkinson's was specifically mentioned as benefitting from this type of diet.
Large diet study suggests it's carbs, not fats, that are bad for your health
A large, 18-country study may turn current nutritional thinking on its head.
The new research suggests that it's not the fat in your diet that's raising your risk of premature death, it's too many carbohydrates -- especially the refined, processed kinds of carbs -- that may be the real killer.
The research also found that eating fruits, vegetables and legumes can lower your risk of dying prematurely. But three or four servings a day seemed to be plenty. Any additional servings didn't appear to provide more benefit.
What does all this mean to you? Well, a cheeseburger may be OK to eat, and adding lettuce and tomato to the burger is still good for you, but an excess of white flour burger buns may boost your risk of dying early.
People with a high fat intake -- about 35 percent of their daily diet -- had a 23 percent lower risk of early death and 18 percent lower risk of stroke compared to people who ate less fat, said lead author Mahshid Dehghan. She's an investigator with the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University in Ontario.
The researchers also noted that a very low intake of saturated fats (below 3 percent of daily diet) was associated with a higher risk of death in the study, compared to diets containing up to 13 percent daily.
At the same time, high-carb diets -- containing an average 77 percent carbohydrates -- were associated with a 28 percent increased risk of death versus low-carb diets, Dehghan said.
"The study showed that contrary to popular belief, increased consumption of dietary fats is associated with a lower risk of death," Dehghan said.
"We found no evidence that below 10 percent of energy by saturated fat is beneficial, and going below 7 percent may even be harmful. Moderate amounts, particularly when accompanied with lower carbohydrate intake, are probably optimal," she said.
These results suggest that leading health organizations might need to reconsider their dietary guidelines, Dehghan noted.
But not everyone is ready to throw out current dietary guidelines.
Dr. Christopher Ramsden is a clinical investigator with the U.S. National Institute on Aging. "There's a lot more information that's needed. They did a great job and they're going to have a lot more coming out of it for years to come, but it's hard to get it down to recommendations regarding food at this point," he said.
"It really highlights the need for well-designed randomized controlled trials to answer some of these questions," Ramsden added.
The researchers noted that their study did not look at the specific types of food from which nutrients were derived. And, that, said Bethany O'Dea, constitutes a "major flaw from a nutrition standpoint." O'Dea is a cardiothoracic dietitian with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
"For example, eating a healthy carb like an apple is more nutrient dense and better for you than eating a bag of processed potato chips," O'Dea said.
"Furthermore, the study did not take trans fats into account, which hold heavy evidence of being unhealthy and contributing to cardiovascular disease," she pointed out.
Current global guidelines recommend that 50 percent to 65 percent of a person's daily calories come from carbohydrates, and less than 10 percent from saturated fats, the researchers said.
Dehghan suggested that "the best diets will include a balance of carbohydrates and fats, approximately 50 to 55 percent carbohydrates and around 35 percent total fat, including both saturated and unsaturated fats."
All foods contain three major macronutrients essential for life -- fat, carbohydrate and protein. The optimum amounts a person should eat has been the focus of debate for decades, with the pendulum swinging from low-fat to low-carb diets over time.
For this study, Dehghan and her colleagues tracked the diet and health of more than 135,000 people, aged 35 to 70, from 18 countries around the world, to gain a global perspective on the health effects of diet.
Participants provided detailed information on their social and economic status, lifestyle, medical history and current health. They also completed a questionnaire on their regular diet, which researchers used to calculate their average daily calories from fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
The research team then tracked the participants' health for about seven years on average, with follow-up visits at least every three years.
The investigators found that high-carbohydrate diets are common, with more than half of the people deriving 70 percent of their daily calories from carbs.
High-carbohydrate diets have been linked with increases in both blood cholesterol and in the chemical building blocks of cholesterol, Dehghan said.
While the experts continue debating what's the best diet, what should you be eating?
O'Dea said, "Your diet should consist of healthy carbs, lean protein, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Remember to avoid processed snacks that contain trans and saturated fats, and opt for a healthy carb source."
The study was scheduled to be presented Tuesday at the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting in Barcelona, Spain. The research was being published online as two studies on Aug. 29 in The Lancet. . © 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Post by the Scribe on Jan 30, 2018 5:40:46 GMT -5
Nutrition & Heart Disease: 7 Major Blood Tests & Cholesterol Myths
Published on Apr 12, 2014
metabolichealing.com/
Michael McEvoy FDN, CNC, CMTA discusses the cholesterol myth, and 7 essential blood tests for heart disease: insulin, glucose, homocysteine, triglycerides, CRP, uric acid, fibrinogen.
Heart disease is preventable and reversible with individualized nutrition and nutritional therapies. The use of whole food, organic nutrition and high quality nutritional supplementation offer a powerful strategy.
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Post by philly on Mar 4, 2018 12:30:17 GMT -5
A new treatment for extreme tremors
Daily Mail Published on Mar 2, 2018 Footage shows the incredible moment surgeons 'burned' a part of a Parkinson's sufferer's brain, instantly stopping her debilitating tremors.
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Post by the Scribe on May 31, 2018 16:37:27 GMT -5
If I had the money I would send Linda to see this doctor myself. I at least hope she is aware of him. I would do this first before considering any kind of medical operations. Evidently he has helped with other diseases like Alzheimer's as well. Dr. Naram will be in Linda's hometown in June!! SECRET for PARKINSONS - DR PANKAJ NARAMS ANCIENT SECRETS
Published on Jun 18, 2016
Fantastic story! Watch now... 30 SECONDS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER!!! ANNOUNCING MASTER HEALER DR PANKAJ NARAM'S CANADA/USA SEPT/OCT 2016 TOUR!
Mr. H.N.Bajpai sharing his true story of how he has recovered from Parkinson's Problem! Published on Dec 21, 2015
Mr. Bajpai shared his story about how with the help of M.H. Pankaj Naram's Ancient Secret he has recovered from Parkinson's disease.
Dr. Naram Secret for Parkinsons (Fall 2016 Toronto)
Published on May 25, 2017
This beautiful woman shares from her heart a story that can change your life... Discover what Dr. Naram's ancient healing secrets can do to help those afflicted with Parkinson's disease. To discover more about these Ancient Healing Secrets, please visit: www.AncientHealing.com
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Post by muse on Jun 1, 2018 0:15:26 GMT -5
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Post by the Scribe on Jun 21, 2018 19:55:35 GMT -5
I am convinced all these neurological diseases are connected somehow so this discovery of two types of herpes virus connected to Alzheimer's is an exciting find. I recall that as a child I came home from school often only to find my mom lying on the couch crying from ulcer pain. It was traumatic and horrible to see being a child and so helpless to help her. I was an ultra sensitive kid and having an already disabled mom to begin with put a lot of fear into me that I could lose her. Years later it was discovered that ulcers were caused by a virus and treated by a common antibiotic and that was that. All that suffering was needless. Wouldn't something as simple as that be a wonderful thing for these brain syndromes?Researchers Find Herpes Viruses In Brains Marked By Alzheimer's Disease Listen: ondemand.npr.org/anon.npr-mp3/npr/atc/2017/10/20171003_atc_brains_link_to_immune_system_might_help_explain_alzheimers.mp3?orgId=1&topicId=1128&d=229&p=2&story=555353033&siteplayer=true&dl=1 June 21, 2018·11:16 AM ET Heard on All Things Considered Jon Hamilton 2010Several circular herpes virus particles are seen near a cell membrane. Roseola herpes virus causes a childhood illness marked by skin rashes and now has been found in brains with Alzheimer's disease. NCI/Science Source Two common herpes viruses appear to play a role in Alzheimer's disease.
The viruses, best known for causing a distinctive skin rash in young children, are abundant in brain tissue from people with Alzheimer's, a team of scientists reports Thursday in Neuron. The team also found evidence that the viruses can interact with brain cells in ways that could accelerate the disease.
"Our hypothesis is that they put gas on the flame," says Joel Dudley, an author of the study and an associate professor of genetics and genomic sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in New York City.
The finding adds credence to a decades-old idea that an infection can cause Alzheimer's disease. It also suggests that it may be possible to prevent or slow Alzheimer's using antiviral drugs, or drugs that modulate how immune cells in the brain respond to an infection.
But the study doesn't prove that herpes viruses are involved in Alzheimer's, says Dr. Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging, which helped fund the research.
"The data are very provocative, but fall short of showing a direct causal role," he says. "And if viral infections are playing a part, they are not the sole actor."
Even so, the study offers strong evidence that viral infections can influence the course of Alzheimer's, Hodes says.
Like a lot of scientific discoveries, this one was an accident. "Viruses were the last thing we were looking for," Dudley says.
He and a team of researchers were using genetic data to look for differences between healthy brain tissue and brain tissue from people who died with Alzheimer's.
The goal was to identify new targets for drugs. Instead, the team kept finding hints that that brain tissue from Alzheimer's patients contained higher levels of viruses.
"When we started analyzing the differences, it just sort of came screaming out at us from the data," Dudley says.
The team found that levels of two human herpes viruses, HHV-6 and HHV-7, were up to twice as high in brain tissue from people with Alzheimer's. They confirmed the finding by analyzing data from a consortium of brain banks.
Shots - Health News: www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/10/25/451169292/could-depression-be-caused-by-an-infection Could Depression Be Caused By An Infection?
These herpes viruses are extremely common, and can cause a skin rash called roseola in young children. But the viruses also can get into the brain, where they may remain inactive for decades.
Once the researchers knew the viruses were associated with Alzheimer's they started trying to figure out how a virus could affect the course of a brain disease. That meant identifying interactions between the virus genes and other genes in brain cells.
"We mapped out the social network, if you will, of which genes the viruses are friends with and who they're talking to inside the brain," Dudley says. In essence, he says, they wanted to know: "If the viruses are tweeting, who's tweeting back?"
And what they found was that the herpes virus genes were interacting with genes known to increase a person's risk for Alzheimer's.
They also found that these Alzheimer's risk genes seem to make a person's brain more vulnerable to infection with the two herpes viruses.
But just having herpes virus present in the brain isn't enough to cause Alzheimer's, Dudley says. Something needs to activate the viruses, which causes them to begin replicating.
It's not clear what causes the activation, Dudley says, though he suspects some sort of change in the internal functions of brain cells.
Once the viruses do become active, they appear to influence things like the accumulation of the plaques and tangles in the brain associated with Alzheimer's. "They are sort of throwing a wrench in the works," he says.
Shots - Health News: www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/10/03/555353033/brains-link-to-immune-system-might-help-explain-alzheimers Brain's Link To Immune System Might Help Explain Alzheimer's The herpes viruses also seem to trigger an immune response in certain brain cells, Hodes says. These cells are part of an ancient immune system that has previously been implicated in Alzheimer's.
Most previous efforts to prevent or treat Alzheimer's have involved trying to reduce the plaques and tangles associated with the disease. Those efforts have failed to improve brain function even when they accomplished their immediate goal.
Those "distressing and disappointing failures" suggest it's time for some new approaches, Hodes says. And the new study suggests at least two.
One is to give antiviral drugs to people with high levels of herpes virus in their brains. The Institute on Aging is already funding a study to test this approach in people in the early stages of Alzheimer's, Hodes says.
Another approach is to prevent the brain's immune cells from reacting to the virus in ways that accelerate Alzheimer's, Hodes says. That's tricky, he says, because simply disabling the brain's immune cells could be harmful.
Even so, Hodes is optimistic.
"The more we learn about the disease process and the more targets we can address," he says, "the greater the probability we are going to slow or prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease."
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Post by musedeva on Jun 21, 2018 23:36:46 GMT -5
I've also seen research about Herpes viruses and Cancer........i..e a pre cursor....the infection is soooo prevalent in the population
VIT c therapy People!!! I never had chicken pox or ANY childhood diseases at all....my mother would constantly use that stuff witht he nurse ont he bottle....Hexoll or whaever cra cray that wass......but this H Virus is apparently
CONTROLLED and can be suppressed by massive VIT C Therapies!!!
Emergen C is the BEST....Trader Joes....jsut take it regularly for all immune problems!!
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Post by the Scribe on Jun 22, 2018 0:56:51 GMT -5
I used to take really large amounts of vitamin C but it began to cause kidney stones which were awful in themselves. After two days in the hospital and still full of kidney stones I had a friend pick me up and drive me straight to the supermarket where I bought 5 gallons of apple cider and a bottle of Braggs apple cider vinegar (with the mother). I remembered an AC repairman at my workplace telling me about this cleanse. Within two hours at home doing this (1 cup apple cider mixed with 2 tablespoons ACV) every 20 minutes I passed all the stones. Whenever I get that kidney or now gall bladder stones feeling I do the same thing and symptoms are gone within an hour. Probably best to do one cup of juice with 1 tsp of acv a couple of times a week as a preventative if you have this type of kidney, gall bladder or liver problems. Sprouts also sells Irwin Milk Thistle Liver Detox pills that I take daily too. Beats thousands of dollars in a hospital in extreme pain. Also wise to read up on foods that cause this problem as everyone is different. I also put a swig of acv into my rescue cats water bowls to prevent crystals and if I find a male that is blocked with crystals I syringe a mix of water and acv into his mouth every half hour especially if I can't get it to the vet. A blocked cat will die if nothing is done quickly.
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Post by Richard W on Jun 22, 2018 8:02:27 GMT -5
One of the many things that kills me about Linda's Parkinson's is that her larynx, her physical singing apparatus, is (or was at time of diagnosis) in magnificent health. That irreplaceable voice has been muted by this disease even though its potential continues to exist, like a never-to-be-opened gift.
The universe often times has a wicked sense of "humor."
BTW, Braggs apple cider is awesome. I swig it from the bottle.
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Post by erik on Jun 22, 2018 9:01:21 GMT -5
Quote by Richard W:
From what I have heard, the other thing the disease has done is made her speaking voice deteriorate when she has been interviewed; and her facial expressions are not as animated as we know she can be. Or am I reading too much into this?
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Post by MokyWI on Jun 22, 2018 12:00:04 GMT -5
erik you are not reading too much into it. She has lost the ability to express with facial muscles. My sister Cris who died on Linda's birthday two years ago had MSA, a disease that mirrors Parkinson's but it is much more aggressive than the latter. My sister had the same issues, Cris's condition progressed much faster than Linda's. I found out about both of them the same exact week and then Cris died on Linda's birthday in 2016. Linda has really kept herself active and that helps, but she is not going to get better.
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Post by erik on Jun 22, 2018 12:24:39 GMT -5
Quote by MikeKoecher:
I totally agree. This is just absolutely among the most devastating neurological diseases one could have, right up there with Alzheimer's. Having seen a number of her interviews, both on TV and on YouTube, I can tell she is struggling a lot to remain animated and lively for extended periods in telling about her life's story. The fact that she is even able to maintain her current schedule of public speaking engagements is astounding, especially because it isn't going to last.
But again, whatever abilities she has left, here's hoping that she can continue for a little while more.
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Post by the Scribe on Jul 9, 2018 18:46:44 GMT -5
Michael J. Fox on his fight against Parkinson's
Published on Jul 8, 2018
Actor Michael J. Fox is known to millions for the "Back to the Future" films and the TV series "Family Ties" and "Spin City." But for the past two decades it's been his battle with Parkinson's disease, and his search for a cure, that may have generated the most attention. Looking back, he tells anchor Jane Pauley that sharing his battle publicly and joining with others to raise money has been "one of the great gifts of my life." He has launched an online study to help researchers develop new therapies for the disease. (This story was originally broadcast on October 29, 2017.)
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Post by the Scribe on Aug 19, 2018 15:08:24 GMT -5
I have to keep coming back to this topic. On Freakonomics today it was the main topic. Not sure but I believe it was a rerun. Discussion was about a doctor who cured the MS of a patient with a fecal transplant and another doctor who did the same with Parkinson's patients. I know it works well for those with C Diff. The MICROBIOME is a fascinating topic and the next biggest field in medicine. GUT BACTERIA (OR LACK OF CERTAIN BACTERIA) CAN KILL US. GUT BACTERIA CAN CURE US.freakonomics.com/podcast/freakonomics-radio-the-power-of-poop/ Freakonomics Radio: The Power of PoopMarch 4, 2011 @ 10:48am by Stephen J. Dubner Facebook Twitter LinkedIn LISTEN NOW:
Photo: Janice Haney Carr, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An infection of the Clostridium difficile bacteria, seen through a micrograph here, causes pseudomembranous colitis and can lead to death.
The “Power of Poop”: Since the beginning of civilization, we’ve thought that human waste was worthless at best, and often dangerous. What if we were wrong?
I don’t know when most of you listen to our podcasts — probably while driving or running or hanging out at your desk. But here’s a fair warning: if you happen to listen to our podcast while eating, you might want to change your routine for at least this one episode. It’s called “The Power of Poop,” and while it’s got some mind-blowing science and stories in it, there’s also a bit of a gross-out factor. (You can download/subscribe at iTunes, get the RSS feed, listen live via the link in box at right, or read the transcript here.)
In a nutshell: throughout civilization, human feces has posed considerable health hazards; when it gets into the water supply, for instance, a lot of bad things can happen. But in recent years, a variety of medical researchers, many of them gastroenterologists, have pushed for a greater understanding of poop, and have made some startling discoveries.
To paint it with a very broad brush: it could be that many maladies — from intestinal problems to obesity to disorders like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s and perhaps even cancer — are related to damaged or missing gut bacteria; the solution therefore may lie in transplanting healthy bacteria into a sick person.
How is this accomplished? (Okay, hold your nose for a moment.) A fecal transplant. Yes, you read right: taking the stool from a healthy person, mixing it with a saline solution, and injecting it into an ill person. The procedure resembles a colonoscopy; it’s a sort of combination of organ transplant and blood transfusion, which one doctor in our podcast calls a “transpoosion.”
Fecal transplants go back several decades, but momentum is unquestionably building, thanks largely to a rise in bench science looking into the bacterial environment of the gut — and that is due to the latest DNA technologies and computational techniques.
In this podcast, you’ll hear from two researcher/practitioners: Thomas Borody, a Polish-born gastroenterologist who works at the Centre for Digestive Diseases near Sydney, Australia; and Alex Khoruts, a Belarussian-born gastroengerologist and immunologist at the University of Minnesota. (Here’s one Borody paper on the topic, and here’s one from Khoruts; both are gated.) You’ll also hear from one of Borody’s patients, William Kostopoulous, who received a fecal transplant to treat his multiple sclerosis. According to both men, the treatment worked marvelously; Borody is currently setting up medical trials to try to establish proof.
William Kostopoulos, on his custom chopper, with Thomas Borody; it seems a fecal transplant helped Kostopoulos get his life back. (Photo: Zoe Arnold)
Here are some key excerpts from the Borody interview:
BORODY: Fecal matter, I was brought up to believe, was waste. But we’ve now learned that it’s the largest organ of the body. It contains about nine times more living bacteria, bacterial cells, than the body contains human cells. So, in a manner of speaking, we are 10 percent human and 90 percent poo. …
When the stool is infected with a bug, when we changed the flora by implanting another person’s stool, that other person may contain bacteria which manufacture antibiotics. And this is the key: bacteria make molecules that kill other bacteria. In fact, most antibiotics come from bacteria, such as vancomycin for example. And you will remember, fungi produced penicillin. So it now physiologically makes good sense that when you implant flora from a healthy person into a person that’s got infected flora, that infected flora may be cured by that single implantation. …
Well, the feedback is very much like Barry Marshall‘s. I was initially ostracized. There was a program on our ABC Radio where a professor of medicine named me on television as being a charlatan for doing fecal transplants and he had no idea of the science behind it, very much like those people that initially criticized Barry Marshall, and initially Louis Pasteur was also criticized like this, and so was Edward Jenner with immunization for smallpox. [N.B.: see also Ignatz Semmelweis.] So I don’t expect anything different, but even now my colleagues would avoid talking about this or meeting me at conferences, although this is changing. I’ve just had an invitation to speak at an international conference about fecal transplantation. …? So I think we might be turning a new leaf, and I think we should, with poo especially.
And, from Khoruts:
KHORUTS: Well, part of me has not overcome that feeling [of disgust with human waste]. I think it’s universal. It’s evolutionarily put in there; we’re supposed to avoid the stuff. But I also realize that what it represents is shedding of our microbial organ. So I also think about all the functions that that entity has. It’s essentially like the elephant in the room for the gastroenterologist. We talk about all the other parts of the digestive tract, but we’re so ignorant about this component that most gastroenterologists and other scientists know very little about it. So our level of knowledge hardly exceeds that of a fifth-grader who just says, exactly as you said, “Eeewww.” … We have some understanding of how complex [the microbial organ] is. We have understanding of some of the basic components. We’re done classifying about 50 percent of different species that are there. We have some idea of how this organ is inherited, transmitted generation to generation. We have some idea of differences between individual species. We have some idea about the evolution of this organ. And we’re beginning to understand some of its functions.
And from William Kostopoulos:
KOSTOPOULOS: It wasn’t an overnight occurrence where I got better in like 15 seconds. But all I know now is, I’m 47 years old, I ride a custom chopper, I travel the world, I have a great time and I’m not in the bloody wheelchair, right? That’s all I know.
It’s a fascinating prospect: that for centuries, we’ve collectively looked at human waste as nothing but a frightful by-product of our existence, a source of shame and disease. Wouldn’t it be amazing if it turned out to be a health breakthrough rather than a heath hazard?
There are other goings-on in the world of poop as well: a poop-powered car; human waste used to heat homes in Oxfordshire; might it happen in New York, too? And, thanks to Flush Tracker, residents of some countries can find out where their poop goes when it isn’t being repurposed.
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Post by the Scribe on Sept 14, 2018 2:27:48 GMT -5
Lion’s Mane Mushroom – Unparalleled Benefits for Your Brain and Nervous System
Posted on: Thursday, June 16th 2016 at 9:45 am Written By: Valerie Burke, MSN
www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/lion-s-mane-mushroom-unparalleled-benefits-your-brain-and-nervous-system
Lion’s Mane is nature’s gift to your nervous system! It’s the only mushroom possessing not one but TWO potent nerve growth factors, showing potential benefits for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, multiple sclerosis, leg cramps, anxiety and more.
What if there were one natural treatment that could restore brain function, regrow damaged nerves and reverse the progression of multiple sclerosis? There may be! Lion’s mane mushroom has been used medicinally in Asia for centuries, but for some reason it’s one of the best-kept secrets in the West.
Besides being called "lion’s mane," Hericium erinaceus, is known by several other names including bearded tooth mushroom, bearded hedgehog, bearded tooth fungus and others. In Japan, it’s known as yamabushitake, which means “mountain priest mushroom.” It has a variety of other names, depending on the country.
In Asia, it is said that lion’s mane gives you “nerves of steel and the memory of a lion,” and from what science is revealing, that’s apt prose. Thus far, evidence exists that lion’s mane mushroom confers the following health benefits:
Improved cognitive function
Nerve regeneration, remyelination, and increased Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)
Improved digestive function and relief from gastritis
Immunosupportive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant
Anticoagulant; mild ACE inhibitor; improved lipid profile
The science about lion’s mane is in its infancy, but evidence already points to unparalleled therapeutic benefits for numerous diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, summarized in the table below, and the list seems to be growing by the day.
Conditions That May Benefit from Lion’s Mane Mushroom
Dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
Parkinson’s disease
Peripheral neuropathy
Muscle cramps and spasms
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Stroke recovery
Seizures and seizure-like post-stroke episodes
Anxiety and Depression
Lion’s Mane Regenerates Nerves and Stimulates NGF One of the reasons for his mushroom’s exceptional neuroprotective powers is its ability to stimulate synthesis of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). NGF is a protein that plays a major role in the maintenance, survival and regeneration of neurons in both your central and peripheral nervous systems. Lion’s mane contains two unique types of compounds, hericenones and erinacines. The erinacines found in Hericium erinaceus mycelium are among the most powerful NGF inducers in the natural world, able to cross your blood-brain barrier and stimulate production of new neurons within the brain itself.
With many neurological disorders, the brain is unable to manufacture NGF—in fact, this is thought to be one of the primary mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease. Making matters worse, myelin sheaths and the blood-brain barrier prevent your body from accessing external sources of NGF, and this contributes to the progressive deterioration of brain neurons over time.
Lion’s mane is the only mushroom to demonstrate significant potential for nerve regeneration. In a groundbreaking 2014 study, an oral extract proved effective in promoting peripheral nerve regeneration after surgically-induced crush-injuries in rats.
NGF also plays important roles in myelination, including protecting oligodendrocytes (myelin-producing cells) and the production of BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). In 2003, lion’s mane extract was found to stimulate nerve myelination, which was confirmed by a later study (2013). This finding has huge implications for helping individuals with multiple sclerosis, a disease characterized by progressive demyelination.
As an aside, there is actually another mushroom that may prove helpful with demyelination—Phellinus igniarius, otherwise known as willow bracket. One study found its extract suppressed demyelination as well as suppressing many of the immune cells active (or overactive) in multiple sclerosis.
Amyloid Plaques, Anxiety and Depression Lion’s mane has also been shown to reduce beta-amyloid plaques. Beta-amyloid plaques are proteins that form in the fatty membranes that surround nerve cells, interfering with neurotransmission. These plaques are thought to play a role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
In a compelling animal study, mice were injected with neurotoxic peptides (to induce plaque formation), in order to assess the effects of lion’s mane on the type of amyloid plaque seen in Alzheimer’s sufferers. As the plaque developed, the mice lost their ability to memorize the maze, but when they were fed a diet containing lion’s mane mushroom, their performance in the maze significantly improved. In addition to regaining their former cognitive skills, they gained NEW cognitive skills—something akin to curiosity, as measured by greater time spent exploring novel objects compared to familiar ones. The reduction of beta amyloid plaques in the mushroom-fed mice was remarkable.
Lion’s mane also shows potential in the treatment of anxiety and depression. In a study involving menopausal women, the mushroom reduced depression and anxiety by some mechanism other than its NGF-enhancing properties. The effects were particularly strong in lowering anxiety, reducing feelings of “irritation” and enhancing concentration. So the Buddhist monks were right! Benefits Beyond the Nervous System As with many mushrooms, lion’s mane has a number of other therapeutic actions resulting from its anti-inflammatory and immunosupportive properties, including the following:
Cancer: One animal study found an extract of lion’s mane inhibited the spread of colon cancer cells to the lung by 66 to 69 percent; the mushroom has also been shown to induce apoptosis in leukemia cells and inhibits angiogenesis
Thrombosis: Hericenone B appears to “potently and specifically inhibit collagen-induced platelet aggregation”
Mild ACE Inhibitor: The exact molecule underlying this effect is not currently known, but it is thought to be a bioactive peptide
Lipids: Reported to reduce triglycerides and improve LDL and HDL levels (lion’s mane mycelium, specifically)
Fat Metabolism: Increases the expression of several genes involved in fat metabolism
Wound Healing: Topical application of the extract was found to accelerate wound healing
Lion’s mane mushroom has earned its right to be in your kitchen pantry and medicine cabinet. I’m sure we’ll be seeing many more studies illuminating its therapeutic potential in the near future.
Although the mushroom’s availability is limited to hardwood forests and a few gourmet food shops, kits are available that allow you to grow your own lion’s mane at home. Lion’s mane mushrooms are 20 percent protein and can be prepared using standard culinary techniques, just like any other edible mushroom. Mushroom Forager describes this oddball’s appearance as sort of like a “faceless hedgehog,” or a truffula tree out of The Lorax—so, they’re rather easy to spot. Does it taste like chicken? No, in this case lobster... or so they say, as I’ve not partaken myself.
According to Mushroom Forager:
“Lion’s mane has no look-alikes, edible or poisonous, and all forms are edible and delicious in the kitchen.”
You’ll will find lion’s mane in the forests of North America, Europe and Asia during the summer and fall, typically attached to dead or dying hardwood trees and logs, including maple, beech, oak, birch, walnut and sycamore. Lion’s mane is also widely available as a supplement and comes in powders and liquid extracts. Some serious allergic reactions have been reported, so please take ample precautions.
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Post by the Scribe on Sept 17, 2018 8:27:23 GMT -5
For years we were told that stomach ulcers were the result of worry and stress. Then as it turns out it was caused by an infection treated with antibiotics. Here is a theory regarding Alzheimers being caused by a germ. If true Parkinson's may have the same theory applied. Just a matter of time. Infectious Theory Of Alzheimer's Disease Draws Fresh Interest Millions have been spent on Alzheimer’s research without producing a cure, a method of prevention or even a clear understanding of what causes the disease. Now there’s a new push to investigate a radical theory: Could a germ be the cause? Some think a microbe could be the trigger leading to protein build up in the brain and a flare-up in the immune system.
And one man is willing to hand over $1 million of his own money to anyone who can figure out if a germ is involved. Read more about this controversial new frontier in Alzheimer's research.
We hope you enjoy these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us for daily stories at @nprhealth.TreatmentsInfectious Theory Of Alzheimer's Disease Draws Fresh Interest September 9, 2018·7:30 AM ET Bret Stetka
The search for the cause of Alzheimer's has so far come up dry. Some researchers are now asking if germs play a role. Ariel Davis for NPR
Dr. Leslie Norins is willing to hand over $1 million of his own money to anyone who can clarify something: Is Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia worldwide, caused by a germ?
By "germ" he means microbes like bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. In other words, Norins, a physician turned publisher, wants to know if Alzheimer's is infectious.
It's an idea that just a few years ago would've seemed to many an easy way to drain your research budget on bunk science. Money has poured into Alzheimer's research for years, but until very recently not much of it went toward investigating infection in causing dementia.
But this "germ theory" of Alzheimer's, as Norins calls it, has been fermenting in the literature for decades. Even early 20th century Czech physician Oskar Fischer — who, along with his German contemporary Dr. Alois Alzheimer, was integral in first describing the condition — noted a possible connection between the newly identified dementia and tuberculosis.
If the germ theory gets traction, even in some Alzheimer's patients, it could trigger a seismic shift in how doctors understand and treat the disease.
For instance, would we see a day when dementia is prevented with a vaccine, or treated with antibiotics and antiviral medications? Norins thinks it's worth looking into.
Norins received his medical degree from Duke in the early 1960s, and after a stint at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention he fell into a lucrative career in medical publishing. He eventually settled in an admittedly aged community in Naples, Fla., where he took an interest in dementia and began reading up on the condition.
After scouring the medical literature he noticed a pattern.
"It appeared that many of the reported characteristics of Alzheimer's disease were compatible with an infectious process," Norins tells NPR. "I thought for sure this must have already been investigated, because millions and millions of dollars have been spent on Alzheimer's research."
But aside from scattered interest through the decades, this wasn't the case.
In 2017, Norins launched Alzheimer's Germ Quest Inc., a public benefit corporation he hopes will drive interest into the germ theory of Alzheimer's, and through which his prize will be distributed. A white paper he penned for the site reads: "From a two-year review of the scientific literature, I believe it's now clear that just one germ — identity not yet specified, and possibly not yet discovered — causes most AD. I'm calling it the 'Alzheimer's Germ.' "
Norins is quick to cite sources and studies supporting his claim, among them a 2010 study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery showing that neurosurgeons die from Alzheimer's at a nearly 2 1/2 times higher rate than they do from other disorders.
Another study from that same year, published in The Journal of the American Geriatric Society, found that people whose spouses have dementia are at a 1.6 times greater risk for the condition themselves.
Contagion does come to mind. And Norins isn't alone in his thinking.
In 2016, 32 researchers from universities around the world signed an editorial in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease calling for "further research on the role of infectious agents in [Alzheimer's] causation." Based on much of the same evidence Norins encountered, the authors concluded that clinical trials with antimicrobial drugs in Alzheimer's are now justified.
NPR reported on an intriguing study published in Neuron in June that suggested that viral infection can influence the progression of Alzheimer's. Led by Mount Sinai genetics professor Joel Dudley, the work was intended to compare the genomes of healthy brain tissue with that affected by dementia.
But something kept getting in the way: herpes.
Researchers Find Herpes Viruses In Brains Marked By Alzheimer's Disease
Shots - Health News www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/06/21/621908340/researchers-find-herpes-viruses-in-brains-marked-by-alzheimers-disease Dudley's team noticed an unexpectedly high level of viral DNA from two human herpes viruses, HHV-6 and HHV-7. The viruses are common and cause a rash called roseola in young children (not the sexually transmitted disease caused by other strains).
Some viruses have the ability to lie dormant in our neurons for decades by incorporating their genomes into our own. The classic example is chickenpox: A childhood viral infection resolves and lurks silently, returning years later as shingles, an excruciating rash. Like it or not, nearly all of us are chimeras with viral DNA speckling our genomes.
But having the herpes viruses alone doesn't mean inevitable brain decline. After all, up to 75 percent of us may harbor HHV-6 .
But Dudley also noticed that herpes appeared to interact with human genes known to increase Alzheimer's risk. Perhaps, he says, there is some toxic combination of genetic and infectious influence that results in the disease; a combination that sparks what some feel is the main contributor to the disease, an overactive immune system.
The hallmark pathology of Alzheimer's is accumulation of a protein called amyloid in the brain. Many researchers have assumed these aggregates, or plaques, are simply a byproduct of some other process at the core of the disease. Other scientists posit that the protein itself contributes to the condition in some way.
The theory that amyloid is the root cause of Alzheimer's is losing steam. But the protein may still contribute to the disease, even if it winds up being deemed infectious.
Work by Harvard neuroscientist Rudolph Tanzi suggests it might be a bit of both. Along with colleague Robert Moir, Tanzi has shown that amyloid is lethal to viruses and bacteria in the test tube, and also in mice. He now believes the protein is part of our ancient immune system that like antibodies, ramps up its activity to help fend off unwanted bugs.
Could Depression Be Caused By An Infection?
Shots - Health News www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/10/25/451169292/could-depression-be-caused-by-an-infection
Could Depression Be Caused By An Infection? So does that mean that the microbe is the cause of Alzheimer's, and amyloid a harmless reaction to it? According to Tanzi it's not that simple.
Tanzi believes that in many cases of Alzheimer's, microbes are probably the initial seed that sets off a toxic tumble of molecular dominoes. Early in the disease amyloid protein builds up to fight infection, yet too much of the protein begins to impair function of neurons in the brain. The excess amyloid then causes another protein, called tau, to form tangles, which further harm brain cells.
But as Tanzi explains, the ultimate neurological insult in Alzheimer's is the body's reaction to this neurotoxic mess. All the excess protein revs up the immune system, causing inflammation — and it's this inflammation that does the most damage to the Alzheimer's-afflicted brain.
So what does this say about the future of treatment? Possibly a lot. Tanzi envisions a day when people are screened at, say, 50 years old. "If their brains are riddled with too much amyloid," he says, "we knock it down a bit with antiviral medications. It's just like how you are prescribed preventative drugs if your cholesterol is too high."
Tanzi feels that microbes are just one possible seed for the complex pathology behind Alzheimer's. Genetics may also play a role, as certain genes produce a type of amyloid more prone to clumping up. He also feels environmental factors like pollution might contribute.
Dr. James Burke, professor of medicine and psychiatry at Duke University's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, isn't willing to abandon the amyloid theory altogether, but agrees it's time for the field to move on. "There may be many roads to developing Alzheimer's disease and it would be shortsighted to focus just on amyloid and tau," he says. "A million-dollar prize is attention- getting, but the reward for identifying a treatable target to delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease is invaluable."
Any treatment that disrupts the cascade leading to amyloid, tau and inflammation could theoretically benefit an at-risk brain. The vast majority of Alzheimer's treatment trials have failed, including many targeting amyloid. But it could be that the patients included were too far along in their disease to reap any therapeutic benefit.
If a microbe is responsible for all or some cases of Alzheimer's, perhaps future treatments or preventive approaches will prevent toxin protein buildup in the first place. Both Tanzi and Norins believe Alzheimer's vaccines against viruses like herpes might one day become common practice.
In July of this year, in collaboration with Norins, the Infectious Diseases Society of America announced that they plan to offer two $50,000 grants supporting research into a microbial association with Alzheimer's. According to Norins, this is the first acknowledgement by a leading infectious disease group that Alzheimer's may be microbial in nature – or at least that it's worth exploring.
"The important thing is not the amount of the money, which is a pittance compared with the $2 billion NIH spends on amyloid and tau research," says Norins, "but rather the respectability and more mainstream status the grants confer on investigating of the infectious possibility. Remember when we thought ulcers were caused by stress?"
Ulcers, we now know, are caused by a germ.
Bret Stetka is a writer based in New York and an editorial director at Medscape. His work has appeared in Wired, Scientific American and on The Atlantic.com. He graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He's also on Twitter: @bretstetka.
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